THAILAND TRAVELS: A Journal
PATTAYA (cont'd) and NA-KLUEA Page 11
Sunday 6th, Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th October:
Days just pottering, food shopping, Aom doing laundry and other mundane stuff.
Poor weather persists with rain at some stage each day but, thankfully, no thunderstorms.
Wednesday 9th:
Cloud dispersing throughout the late morning and it's back to the normal more usual hot Thai sunny days. Roasting hot in the sun; so stay out of the sun!
Late morning: Went on the bike up to the Wat Khao Phra Bat temple. (see photos).
Located on the south end of Pattaya, Wat Khao Phrabat is built on a hill that overlooks all of Pattaya. The temple, though not large, is most noteworthy for housing a replica of what is supposedly Buddha's footprint. The real attraction for visitors, however, is the "Lookout" located just behind the temple area, and which has been built out onto a promotory of rock. This viewpoint offers the visitor, and especially the photographer, spectacular views of all of Pattaya city.
When I was last here with Aom in February, we hiked up the hill from the harbour in the blistering heat; hard going. This time, however, we had the motorbike so we cheated and rode up to the temple.
The movie below shows sequences of the Wat Khao Phra Bat temple site.
At the end of the sequence you can see the Tao Teck Brass Bell. This brass bell was commissioned to commemorate the placement to the Lao Tzu Statue in Wang Sang Sian.
The design of the bell is based on the Ming Dynasty Bell which is in Beijing Museum.
The Bell weighs 990 kilograms, is 157 cm high and has a circumference of 93 cm.
This is believed to be the largest Ming Dynasty style brass bell to be cast in Thailand.
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Wednesday afternoon:
At last we took a trip to one of the beaches that abound around Pattaya Bay.
Decided on a trip up to north of Pattaya called Na-Kluea. Massive new sky-scraper apartment (condo) blocks here. This is one of the posh parts of Pattaya (the other is Jontiem to the south) and the beaches are pretty good and clean.
Parked the bike and hiked down the beach to a small sandy cove embraced by rocky outcops and tropical trees. Dossed in a couple of sun-beds under one of the shady trees and dozed the afternoon away. This is more like it!
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All photos above are of the Khao Phra Bat temple which sits on the top of a hill above the city. There is a ring of 7 Buddhas surrounding the big 18 metre Buddha. Each one of the smaller ones represents a day of the week.
It is considered to bring a person good fortune if they ask for good things before making a small donation to that same Buddha; 20 Baht usually suffices.
Thursday 10th:
Planned a trip to the same cove/beach as yesterday but Aom had other things she needed to do. Thought we needed some exercise so we left the bike and walked the 5kms or so to Pattaya Tai (South Pattaya Road) and did some stuff. Popped in for a foot massage on the way back.
Temperature back in the low to mid 30's in the shade with a roasting sun to keep away from.
PHOTOS BELOW: Life's tough here at times ...
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- TOP TWO ROWS:
Na-Kluea beach. This is one of the posh areas of Pattaya as can be seen in the buildings. They are not hotels, they're "Condos" or Condominiums (private apartments).
- BOTTOM TWO ROWS:
A short walk down Na-Kluea beach gets to this lovely small cove. Great to have the warm ocean tickle your toes whilst one is reclining with an ice-cold H2O. YES it was water!
Friday 11th:
From dawn, a cloud-free blue sky. Already 32ºC at 08:00.
Rode up to north Pattaya again in mid morning and spent 4 hours at the same small sandy cove dossing and luxuriating under shady trees with seawater lapping at our feet (tide was well up)... fantastic! Sea-water is a touch under 28ºC so easy for a plunge or two.
Friday Afternoon:
Went to Pattaya South Market. Incredible place for cheap just about anything; predominately clothing though. As predicted, Aom treated herself to some new slacks, a top and a couple of very nice dresses. She certainly looked good in them!
It was an airless 37ºC in the covered market! Way too hot for me and I emerged drenched.
Evening:
Planned to eat out tonight but Aom not feeling 100%. Popped out and bought a whole roast chicken; still on the spit. You just choose the one you want. They'll even carve it for you and supply (optional) spicy stuff in little baggies and, of course * sticky-rice. All for 160 Baht (ca £3.20). Aom drummed up a very nice dinner with it.
*Sticky-rice is made from Glutinous rice (also called sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amylose content (look it up), and is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous in the sense of being glue-like or sticky, and not in the sense of containing gluten.
Stick-rice is eaten with the fingers. You simply tear off a chunk, dip it into whatever dips, sauces, etc. to hand and away you go! It's very good and it tastes, well, of rice.
Saturday 12th:
Wall-to-wall blue skies again from go. Far more normal weather for this region now the monsoons have buggered off. Mid-day temp 33º but with a nice breeze.
